Toordal – the most relished lentil in south indian kitchens. No meal is complete without this lentil. Warm rice served with cooked toordal, little salt and ghee with a pickle is a staple meal in many homes. I cook 1/2 cup of toordal 1/2 cup of rice with little hing and turmeric powder, mix it with ghee and serve my kids for lunch or dinner. Its wholesome, filling, simple and yet nutritious.
Sambhar, pongal, kichdi so many staple diet I coudl think. But this particular dish is very common in Northern coastal regions of Tamilnadu. My father got some raw mangoes which is a surprise in this winter. Its perfect as I scared it might be too sour in this odd season of it. Here comes the recipe for “Maangai Kathirikai paruppu”.
Ingredients:
1 cup toor dal – washed
a pinch of turmeric
a pinch of hing / asafoetida
1/2 cup chopped red onions
1/2 cup chopped brinjal
1/2 cup chopped raw mango
2 green chillies chopped

For thaalipu:
1/4 spoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon peanut oil / ghee
2 pinch mustard seeds
a sprig of curry leaves

The one shown in the picture is a whole toor dal i.e., without splitting. They say this vareity is more nutritious than the split one.

How to make it ?
Mix all the ingredients in a container and add 4 cups of water. Add required salt. Cook it in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles. Once the pressure in the cooker is reduced open it and mash the cooked dal and veggies with a big spoon. Once it becomes mushy make the thaalipu / tadka with the ingredients for the same. Serve hot with rice / raagi muddha / rotis.

This goes for JFI Toor dal hosted by lovely Linda.